Evaluation of New Building Technology

Abstract

This paper presents a proposed system for evaluating the expected utility of a new building technology and for aiding the decision‐maker in making an appropriate and logical decision in implementing a new building technology. The developed evaluation system is a three‐part approach consisting of technical‐, economic‐, and risk‐assessment phases. An overall assessment factor (OAF) is determined, which provides a measure of the potential utility of the new technology. The technology index (TI) can also be determined, which expresses the expected utility of an evaluated technology relative to an existing or comparable technology. Four possible outcomes can result from the evaluation, ranging from large‐scale implementation to discarding the technology from further consideration. Decision aids, including a decision nomograph and a decision flow chart, were developed to aid the decision‐maker in determining the appropriate implementation decision based on evaluation results. An example application of the proposed evaluation methodology applied to a new exterior closure technology is provided.